This blog replaces the earlier archives I had posted on the Internet and includes various memos sent to the clients of the VitaminLawyer.com (now the Vitamin Consultancy). It includes archived copies of memos from 2004 through 2007 and subsequent memos will be posted as they are issued.

“The momentum of areas that have dominated in 2008 such as probiotics, omega-3s, superfruits and weight management remains strong and seem certain to continue registering fat blips on the commercial and consumer radar in 2009…Despite the ongoing frustration of scientific studies that ask of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbs and other nutrients that which they were never meant to deliver – like curing cancer or treating severe depression – the year ahead looks promising for their use in an array of matrices from supplements to cosmeceuticals to functional foods and drinks… With the financial climate bringing closer scrutiny to business and personal budgets alike, there is an argument that sales of healthy foods and supplements may benefit because individuals place greater emphasis on maintaining wellness through dietary choices, rather than face often exorbitant costs in the medical system.”

www .nutraingredients .com/Industry/A-Nutra-eye-on-2009

[Please note: all URL web page links in this email are “broken” or incomplete, with the “http://” and/or “www.” separated and an extra space before the .com or .org, to avoid this message being treated as “spam” by AOL or other services.]

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1. Doctors Recommending Dietary Supplements
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www. functionalingredientsmag .com/fimag/articleDisplay.asp?strArticleId=1974&strSite=FFNSite
Newly-released results from the 2008 "Life…supplemented" Healthcare Professionals Impact Study show for the first time which supplements specialist physicians are taking and recommending to their patients…
Orthopaedic specialists — Nearly three-quarters (73%) of orthopaedic specialists use dietary supplements…Nearly all orthopaedic specialists who take supplements recommend them to their patients (94%). Even 82% of orthopaedic specialists who do not take supplements still recommend them to their patients. In total, 91% of orthopaedic specialists recommend supplements to their patients. The top reasons include: bone health (75%), joint health (73%), musculoskeletal pain (53%) and overall health and wellness benefits (25%).
Cardiologists — More than half (57%) of cardiologists use dietary supplements. The top reasons they do so include: overall health and wellness benefits (32%), heart health (29%), lower cholesterol (20%) and energy (17%)… Among the 72% of total cardiologists recommending supplements, the top reasons for doing so include: lower cholesterol (58%), heart health (55%), maintain healthy cholesterol (36%), and overall health and wellness benefits (30%).
Dermatologists — Three-quarters of dermatologists use dietary supplements. The top reasons for this include: overall health and wellness benefits (42%); bone health (24%); skin, hair and nails (16%); heart health (15%) and anti-ageing (14%)…
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2. Web Ring and Wiki… Sign-up Working!
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In recent eblasts I told you all about the new Advanced Healthcare Web Ring and how it can help your Search Engine Status and push derogatory postings off the first page of Google and other Search Engines.

I’ve posted that information at: http:// tinyurl .com/5d6489

Now, after more beta testing the sign-up page is working! (With my special thanks to those of you sought to sign up and who communicated with me about problems!)

[Please note: all URL web page links in this email are “broken” or incomplete, with the “http://” and/or “www.” separated and an extra space before the .com or .org, to avoid this message being treated as “spam” by AOL or other services.]

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1. Testimonials Continue at Risk
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In recent discussions that I have had with attorneys who are experts in the field of FTC testimonial regulation, I was told that it appears FTC is ready to issue new regulations severely limiting testimonials unless they are backed by clinical data.

Meanwhile, Vitamin Retailer issued a report dated December 9, 2008 on testimonial regulatory actions. Some of that report is excerpted here: “This past month, the FDA and FTC brought charges against five natural product companies, alleging … improper claims … in website testimonials… The FDA and FTC are seeking hefty fines and other sanctions in part because these companies posted letters from satisfied customers on their websites. None of the customers claim outright to have been cured by the products, although the customers did share their personal experience of medical conditions that objectively disappeared after use of the products.

“Citizens For Health Chairman of the Board Jim Turner, who represents Daniel Chapter One, maintains that the FDA and FTC motion against his client ‘fails to distinguish between cynical con men who intentionally cheat vulnerable people, and persons of conviction who work diligently to comply with the law in their effort to help people.’”

Said the owner of Daniel Chapter One. “We are fighting to protect all Americans' rights in this issue, which include access to information and choice. We are planning a rally in Washington DC the week of April 23, 2009 to promote the Health Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 2117), the necessity of which is underscored by our case and others like it.”

Vitaminretailer .com/VRMnews/news/121008VRMNews.htm#nie1

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2. For the New Year – New Attacks on Dietary Supplements?
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Next up is Lorraine Heller’s comment about GlaxoSmithKline's petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban dietary supplements from making weight loss claims… thousands of readers … clicked on “The GSK weight loss wake-up call”.

Lorraine argued that the issue was due to the inadequate or incomplete scientific substantiation, question marks over efficacy, health claim exaggeration, formula contamination and mislabeling that continue to dog the dietary supplements industry despite the best intentions of the 1994 Dietary Supplements Health Education Act (DSHEA) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations enacted last year.

“It's a situation that leaves industry open to the kind of attack GSK has mounted and drives the urgent need for it to get its house in order,” said the comment.

The Vitamin Lawyer will continue to keep you updated as this “citizen petition” goes through the FDA.

In recent eblasts I told you all about the new Advanced Healthcare Web Ring and how it can help your Search Engine Status and push derogatory postings off the first page of Google and other Search Engines.

I’ve posted that information at: http:// tinyurl .com/5d6489

Now, after more beta testing the sign-up page is working! (With my special thanks to those of you sought to sign up and who communicated with me about problems!)

[Please note: all URL web page links in this email are “broken” or incomplete, with the “http://” and/or “www.” separated and an extra space before the .com or .org, to avoid this message being treated as “spam” by AOL or other services.]

“The French food supplement market is enjoying heavy growth. Between 2000 and 2006, consumption of supplements doubled in France and should double again by 2012, according to Synadiet (National Dietetic Syndicate). This consumption is accompanied by an increase in self-medication across France.
With this heavy growth, French consumers are catching up with their European neighbors who are traditionally heavier consumers of supplements. To understand this boom, we should recall the generalization of the Health/Naturalness trend with a search for healthier lifestyles and a return to essential values. The reasoning is for a healthier lifestyle that includes prevention, a balanced diet, and a search for authenticity and naturalness in the products people consume. In fact, natural products are one of the five drivers of the European food supplements market and their consumers perceive them as safe and healthy.”

“Companies need to do more to link health benefits and those particular ingredients that deliver them to capitalise on consumer interest, according to research… [polling] consumers …found that while they were highly interested in brands that carried health benefits, they often failed to understand which ingredients delivered those benefits, nor how. Bone, heart and digestive health were the top three health concerns… In each case the health benefit was more important than the ingredient.
nutraingredients .com/Consumer-Trends/Bridging-the-benefit-ingredient-knowledge-gap/?c=gbrnO2ewSG3NYL%2FXgDb20g%3D%3D

In recent eblasts I told you all about the new Advanced Healthcare Web Ring and how it can help your Search Engine Status and push derogatory postings off the first page of Google and other Search Engines.

I’ve posted that information at: http:// tinyurl .com/5d6489

Now, after more beta testing the sign-up page is working! (With my special thanks to those of you sought to sign up and who communicated with me about problems!)

About Me

The Vitamin Conslutancy - www.vitaminconsultancy.com -- I practiced law for 36 years in NJ (1971 - 2006), gaining a reputation as The Vitamin Lawyer, representing people in the Natural Products, Dietary Supplements and CAM (Complementary and Alternative Modalities) fields. Now I provide educational services and I consult with lawyers and other professionals, formulators, manufacturers and purveyors of natural and nutritional products, as well as with CAM enterprises and practitioners.
I started these blogs to comment on health and freedom issues and to provide an archive of information for my clients and associates. This is a private expressive association communication.
I have been a trustee of several NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) including the Natural Solutions Foundation - globalhealthfreedom.org - Institute for Health Research - inhere.org - Sound Health Research Institute - soundhealthresearch.org and LifeSpirit Church - lifespirit.org